High School Report on Crosby and Today's NHL

The National Hockey League, one of the most prestigious and oldest sports' leagues in the world, has encountered recent struggles in its homeland of America. After a lockout, or stoppage of play, three years ago, the league has tried desperately to re-establish its identity in the U.S. Their best hope came when the lockout ended, in 2005, in the form of the 18 year-old hockey sensation Sidney Crosby. Crosby, deemed the next Wayne Gretzky by his peers, was drafted as the first overall pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins faced the same difficulties as its parent league. The team was marred by recent struggles and faced with the possibility of relocation, only a few years after it was viewed as a dynasty in the NHL. Both the league and the Penguins knew that Crosby was the savior and solution to each of their problems. No pressure for a teenager. And, amongst all of the chaos, Crosby is expected to play nothing short of spectacular every time his skates touch the ice. Fans of the Penguins quickly depended on "Sid the Kid" to lead the franchise to the playoffs, and eventually to the Stanley Cup Finals where they will be crowned champions again. Owners and fans of the NHL quickly depended on him to put their league back in the Top 4, along with football, basketball, and baseball. So the question is - can one person save a sports franchise as well as saving the entire league? The National Hockey League started to ice itself into the lives of the typical sports fan in the 1990's. The league was overflowing with eventual hall-of-famers and legends like Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, and many more. The league started to take advantage of the growing popularity by adding teams in non-sports cities like Columbus, San Jose, and Raleigh. Times were good for the league, as it maintained a steady fan base and a generous television contract with networks like ESPN and ABC. The stretch of success hit a roadblock on September 15, 2004, when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the league and teams would lock out the players. (NHL Lockout Chronology, 1) The announcement read "No hockey until the two sides resolve their differences," the two sides being the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA). Instead of an attempt to make the lockout as quick and painless as possible, both sides resorted to techniques that rival most feuds between first graders fighting over toys. Each side used name-calling and finger pointing to try and blame the opposing side of spilling the milk. The season was eventually cancelled in February 2005, crushing the hearts of hockey fans like a defenseman crushing a winger into the boards. The elementary school like drama lasted until the following July, when the NHL announced that the league has re-opened for business. (NHL Lockout, 1) The Pittsburgh Penguins were suffering from a similar ailment to that of its parent, the NHL; the side effects ranged from decreased interest and attendance to overall lack of excitement in the team. The team saw a huge success in the 1990's, as stars glimmered in the eyes of fans that sold out arenas every night. However, at the turn of the century, it seemed as if the team had taken a sudden turn for the worse. Losing seasons plagued the franchise each year, which led to the talk of relocation, along with a slew of financial problems. The team struggled to find an owner, and eventually gave majority ownership to Mario Lemieux. This move was the team's way of repaying him for his salary that was owed to him. Lemieux insisted that the team needed a new arena in order to stay in Pittsburgh. Mario wanted his recent investment to stay in its original city; however, he explored options to sell the team to owners who could not guarantee that the team would stay. The ending of the lockout came at a perfect time for the league, as the eventual savior, Sidney Crosby, waited to enter the professional hockey party. In a weighted draft, where team's positions were drawn from a lottery machine, the Pittsburgh Penguins scored one of their biggest goals in team history. With a 6.25% chance of netting the top pick, the Penguins beat the odds and sent a jolt into the city under a hockey cardiac arrest. Crosby became an overnight sensation, not only in western Pennsylvania, but also throughout North America. Crosby, the small town phenomenon, evolved into a God-like power for the league to put its faith into. The league was confident that it would rebound and return to its former glory; however, the rest of the sports world remained skeptical. Their skepticism received a major slap shot from the league when it announced that it had rejected a television offer from ESPN, and instead chose to air its games on the Outdoor Life Network, or OLN. In everyday terms, the switch is like grabbing a gun and shooting yourself in the foot. This announcement did not excite many fans, many of whom enjoyed the coverage that ESPN provided and because no one had ever heard of the Outdoor Life Network. Since moving from ESPN, the league has not been able to score a goal in the ratings department. (Gaddis, 2) The deal made, and continues to make, no sense being that ESPN has a death-grip on the sports universe, determining what is a sport and what is a pastime. After Crosby officially became a Penguin, his superstar status began in his first game in New Jersey. As Kara Yorio stated in an article in Sporting News Magazine: Even though the teen has the talent to make it look easy, it won't be easy. (Yorio, 2) Crosby was unable to deliver the Pens to a win that night, or many throughout his rookie season, but he was able to gain the respect of many. He had a highly successful freshman campaign, and then quickly catapulted to the top of the hockey universe as the Most Valuable Player in his sophomore season. He was also voted the best player by his peers, and he won the league scoring title. (Hunter, 1) Highly respected veteran Joe Sakic said, "He's the face of the league now. He earns everything he gets." (Hunter, 2) One of Crosby's highest accomplishments came this past summer, when he was named the Captain of the team. At 19, he became the youngest captain in league history. (Pens, 1) As he turns 20, Crosby begins his quest for a Stanley Cup, but more importantly, he continues to spread the word of the league that employs him. The league realizes that in order to make people aware of its product and young stars, they must market them properly. According to a recent Harris Poll, the popularity of the league has doubled in the past 20 years. However, when the poll asked the question "What's your favorite sport?" to fans, only four percent said hockey. (Gaddis, 2) The league is beginning an apparent upward climb, but instead of climbing a small hill, the NHL is climbing Mt. Everest. Once dubbed "The Coolest Game on Earth," I think the league is going to need a spark to ignite a potential rocket. That rocket is Sidney Crosby. He is a marketing dream. Reebok sees the potential, as they gave Crosby his own clothing line this past summer. (Johnston, 1) I dare each person reading this to watch a game, or even attend one, especially one including Crosby. Number 87 will not fail to make you say "Wow" at least three times, and that could be in just a single period. It is a challenge that we should all accept, and one that we will be thankful for once we are hooked on it. Crosby has the skill to score a hat trick on the ice as well as lure more people to become fans of the game. So far, in his young career, he has saved a franchise, and I believe that he can single handedly save the entire league. Works Cited Gaddis, Carter. "NHL Still Seeking Identity in U.S." Tampa Tribune 9 Sept. 2007. MasterFilePremier. EBSCO host. Brownsville Area High School Library, Brownsville, Pennsylvania. 27 September 2007. . Hunter, Paul . "Sid the Kid wins respect." Toronto Star 15 June 2007. MasterFile Premier. EBSCO host. Brownsville Area High School Library, Brownsville, Pennsylvania. 27 September 2007. . Johnston, Chris, "Sidney Crosby tries his hand at a new profession - designing clothes." Canadian Press 21 Aug. 2007. "NHL Lockout Chronology." ESPN.com 16 Feb.2005. Online.. "NHL Lockout." ESPN.com. Online. 25 Nov. 2007 . "Pens give Crosby the captain's C." Toronto Star 1 June 2007. MasterFile Premier. EBSCO host. Brownsville Area High School Library, Brownsville, Pennsylvania. 27 September 2007. . Yario, Kara. "Must-see Hockey." Sporting News. 21 October 2005. MasterFile Premier. EBSCO host. Brownsville Area High School Library, Brownsville, Pennsylvania. 27 September 2007. .